HOW RUSSIA IS ATTEMPTING TO JAM STARLINK USING ELECTRONIC WARFARE SYSTEMS

    Starlink has become one of the most critical battlefield communications assets supporting Ukrainian operations. Unsurprisingly, it has also become a high-priority target for Russian electronic warfare (EW) efforts.

Since the first days of the full-scale invasion, Russia has been experimenting with various methods of disrupting Starlink connectivity. The first confirmed case of a dedicated Russian EW system successfully targeting Starlink was recorded in 2024 on the Kharkiv region. Ukrainian armed forces rapidly detected the source of interference, located the system, and destroyed it. Until 2026, no large-scale attempts to replicate this capability were observed.

However, following the start of Ukrainian medium-range strike campaigns against Russian logistics infrastructure, Russian forces once again began deploying EW assets specifically designed to disrupt Starlink communications. As with previous attempts, Ukrainian forces continue to detect, track, and neutralize these systems whenever possible.

What Do We Know About the Russian EW System?

The system is known as "Volna Kupol Garant" ("Wave Dome Garant").

It is manufactured by Russian Dome LLC (ООО «Российский купол»), a company operating from occupied Simferopol, Crimea. Company registration № 9102290721.
Company address: Prospekt Pobedi 245, office 5. Simferopol, Crimea, Ukraine.

Managing director: Aleksandr Vovchok.

How the System Works

The operating concept is relatively straightforward but technically sophisticated.

A network of ground-based satellite antennas is deployed and continuously tracks Starlink satellites passing overhead. Instead of targeting user terminals directly, the system transmits high-power interference signals from the ground toward the satellite itself.

The objective is to overwhelm the satellite's receiver, preventing it from detecting legitimate transmissions originating from Starlink terminals on the ground.

From a technical perspective, Starlink user terminals transmit in the 14–14.5 GHz uplink band. This spectrum can be divided into eight channels, each approximately 62.5 MHz wide.

According to available information, Russian engineers effectively assigned one dedicated antenna to each channel. In a typical configuration, eight synchronized satellite dishes transmit jamming signals simultaneously across the entire uplink spectrum. The result is a significant degradation of the satellite's ability to receive legitimate user traffic within the affected area.

In simple terms: the satellite becomes temporarily "blind" to Starlink terminals operating beneath its coverage footprint.

Coverage and Deployment

A single Volna Kupol Garant complex reportedly provides coverage over an area of approximately 20 square kilometers.

The system is trailer-mounted and designed for rapid deployment. A complete complex consists of six trailers, with two antennas installed on each trailer. The antenna assemblies can also be removed and mounted on a common platform or deployed directly on the ground depending on operational requirements.

Visually, each antenna appears as a large egg-shaped radome. Inside the enclosure is a steerable satellite dish equipped with an automated tracking mechanism capable of maintaining lock on passing Starlink satellites.

Power Requirements
 

Like most high-power electronic warfare systems, Volna Kupol Garant has substantial energy demands. 

The complex can operate either from onboard generators installed on the trailers or from an external power supply network. Sustained jamming operations require a significant and continuous electrical power source, creating additional logistical and operational signatures that can potentially be exploited for detection and targeting.

Operational Assessment

Volna Kupol Garant represents a notable evolution in Russian counter-space and electronic warfare capabilities. Rather than attacking individual user terminals, the system targets the satellite uplink itself, seeking to deny connectivity across a wider operational area.

At the same time, the system's size, power requirements, and distinctive antenna architecture make it a relatively conspicuous asset. As with other strategic EW systems, effectiveness ultimately depends not only on jamming performance but also on survivability against intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), and precision-strike capabilities.

The ongoing contest between Starlink resilience and Russian EW countermeasures highlights one of the defining technological battles of the modern battlefield: the struggle for dominance in the electromagnetic spectrum.